Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Taoyuan and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Taoyuan versus $1,116 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Taoyuan versus $1,868 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,442 in Taoyuan versus $2,619 in Taichung.

Living in Taoyuan is roughly 8% more expensive than in Taichung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Taoyuan 12% lower, Taichung 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.46 NT$142

$4.69 NT$149

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 NT$788

$31.50 NT$1,001

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 NT$176

$4.71 NT$150

17.41%

Cappuccino

$3.04 NT$96.5

$2.84 NT$90.3

7.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 NT$31.08

$0.98 NT$31.21

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$23.09

$0.77 NT$24.62

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 NT$60.5

$1.57 NT$49.89

21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NT$74.6

$2.79 NT$88.6

-15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 NT$90.7

$3.31 NT$105

-13.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 NT$39.23

$1.72 NT$54.8

-28.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 NT$83.5

$2.64 NT$84.1

-0.38%

Eggs

$2.11 NT$67.2

$2.63 NT$83.4

-19.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 NT$291

$28.72 NT$913

-68.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 NT$238

$7.70 NT$245

-2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.50 NT$683

$16.71 NT$531

28.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 NT$122

$4.24 NT$135

-9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 NT$64.3

$1.92 NT$60.9

5.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 NT$97.9

$1.86 NT$59.2

65.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 NT$100

$2.21 NT$70.1

42.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 NT$79.4

$1.25 NT$39.78

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NT$63.1

$1.97 NT$62.5

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 NT$72.2

$2.46 NT$78.0

-7.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 NT$27.92

$0.92 NT$29.10

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 NT$161

$3.75 NT$119

35.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 NT$348

$15.82 NT$503

-30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NT$46.05

$1.64 NT$52.2

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 NT$66.5

$2.56 NT$81.4

-18.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 NT$17.63

$0.73 NT$23.20

-24.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.88 NT$1,204

$31.76 NT$1,009

19.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 NT$91.5

$2.69 NT$85.5

7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NT$24.61

$0.98 NT$31.15

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 NT$224

$9.64 NT$306

-26.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 NT$31.70

$1.06 NT$33.53

-5.66%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K NT$1.1M

$33.7K NT$1.1M

0.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K NT$748.1K

$23.2K NT$737.7K

1.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$69.1 NT$2,195

$108 NT$3,423

-35.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.83 NT$566

$14.98 NT$476

19.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.30 NT$709

$21.66 NT$688

2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.89 NT$1,077

$32.20 NT$1,023

5.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 NT$228

$13.29 NT$422

-45.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 NT$352

$9.69 NT$308

14.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$531 NT$16.9K

$343 NT$10.9K

55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K NT$1.0M

$17.2K NT$545.1K

89.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.5 NT$2,907

$68.9 NT$2,189

32.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.11 NT$798

$36.40 NT$1,157

-31.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 NT$2,629

$83.3 NT$2,646

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 NT$3,067

$112 NT$3,570

-14.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 NT$20.9K

$405 NT$12.9K

62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 NT$13.8K

$280 NT$8,903

55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 NT$30.4K

$1,190 NT$37.8K

-19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 NT$23.4K

$763 NT$24.3K

-3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,589 NT$241.2K

$7,101 NT$225.6K

6.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,683 NT$148.8K

$5,181 NT$164.6K

-9.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 NT$49.8K

$1,407 NT$44.7K

11.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.18

2.27

-3.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Taoyuan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Taichung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Taoyuan and $405 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taoyuan pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Taoyuan vs $32.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $371 per month, with Taoyuan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Taoyuan vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taichung wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Taoyuan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taichung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Taoyuan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $659 in Taoyuan versus $405 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Taichung – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $25.00 in Taoyuan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Taoyuan versus $1,116 in Taichung – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,116 in Taichung versus $1,209 in Taoyuan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taichung but tight or insufficient in Taoyuan. The gap between the two cities makes Taichung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Taoyuan and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Taichung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Taoyuan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.